Tug of War
by katherine102678
Summary: Set one week after their engagement. Maria is planning her wedding, but one very important person isn't helping. Can Maria find out why?


MA week had passed since that night in the gazebo. The next day Georg properly proposed to Maria and the proposal involved all seven children. Everyone gave their blessing. The wedding planning commenced and the girls all wanted to help with the planning, all except one that is. Louisa.

Each time Maria tried to get Louisa involved she made an excuse to not participate, or when Louisa did participate her heart wasn't in it. Maria knew Louisa was more reserved and guarded, like her father. She didn't wear her emotions on her sleeve, like most of her siblings. And Louisa was the one child Maria had a hard time figuring out. But overtime, they developed a special bond until recently.

Determined to figure out what is bothering her, Maria asks Louisa to go for a walk around the villa. They walked for a bit in silence. Upon reaching the gazebo, Maria goes in and Louisa follows. Maria sits down on one of the benches. Louisa does as well.

"This is where your father told me he loved me." Maria says. Louisa just looks around and nods slightly. "Louisa, are you ok with your father and I getting married?"

Louisa was a little surprised by the question, although she shouldn't have been. Maria was the only person to be able to read Louisa like a book. She did her best to try and hide her thoughts and feelings, but Maria always seemed to know when she was angry, sad, or frightened. Maria was also the only person to ever confront her about her thoughts and feelings.

"I'm scared and conflicted." Louisa muttered, almost hoping Maria wouldn't hear her. Truth was Louisa was happy for her father and Maria, but she was also scared of the changes that were coming.

"Why?" Maria asks.

Louisa remains silent. Maria learned quickly to not press Louisa for an immediate response. Pressing Louisa for an immediate response usually ended with a snarky comment and caused to withdraw further. So Maria simply waits for her to respond.

Louisa collects her thoughts and carefully chooses her words. "Because things will change when you and father get married. You will be too busy going to parties and running the house to have time for us to do the things we do now, like go on picnics, bikes, and swimming in the lake."

Louisa paused, thinking Maria was going to respond. When she didn't Louisa continued. "I'm also conflicted because I feel by loving you and giving you my blessing to marry father that I am betraying my mother."

Louisa stops and looks at Maria with tears in her eyes. She hates feeling vulnerable but she is happy that her feelings aren't bottled up anymore.

"Louisa, you understand I am not trying to replace your mother. I could never replace her in your heart and I don't want to. I just want to share a little place in your heart. From everything you children and your father have said about her, she was a very caring, selfless individual. She wanted your father and you children to be happy. I hope that I make you all happy because having you in my life fulfills me and makes me very happy. The only way you could betray your mother is if you stop thinking about her, stop remembering her, stop talking about her and I won't allow that to happen. She will always be your mother. My marrying your father won't change that."

"As for things changing, yes things will change. I will have a ring on my finger and my last name will become Von Trapp. But that is all. When have you ever known me to enjoy or want to be like those high society women that were at the villa during the party? I exasperate your father because I won't allow him to spoil me with gifts and excesses. When something is important to you, you make the time for it. You children are important to me. I will always have and make time for you."

Louisa smirks. Maria continues "Your father says one of the reasons he fell in love with me is because of the special relationship I have with you children. How we interact, how much fun we have, how we make each other smile and laugh. That isn't going to change. Your father and I want more of that not less. I will still be here to help you with your schoolwork, take you on picnics in the Untersburg, go swimming in the lake."

Maria waits a moment before speaking again. "Can I tell you a secret, but you have to promise not to tell your brothers or sisters?" Louisa raises an eyebrow in a questioning manner.

"Uh huh" is all she can say.

"Of all the children you are the most special to me." Maria stops and allows Louisa to take it all in.

"Why?" Her curiosity is peaked.

"Because you challenge me." Louisa looks confused but doesn't say anything. Maria continues. "You aren't like your brothers and sisters. With them it was easy to develop a bond. With Liesl, she just enjoys being treated like a young lady instead of a little girl and we bond over matters of the heart. Friedrich wants to be a man which is why I put him in charge of some of our activities. With Kurt, we can always tell jokes and fight over who gets the last cookie." Louisa can't suppress her laugh. She knows what a sweet tooth Maria and her brother have. "With Brigitta, I can talk about books for days, weeks, months on end. With Marta and Gretl we can allow our imaginations to run wild with made up fairy tales and damsels in distress."

"But you are different. Guarded and reserved, like your father. You challenge me mentally, physically, and emotionally. You constantly surprise me. I never know what to expect from you. And I like that. You keep me on my toes. And I want you to keep challenging me. That is our bond. Our continuous mental, physical, and emotional tug of war."

Maria stops talking. She knows Louisa needs time to process everything so she gets up to leave the gazebo and allow Louisa time to think.

"Fraulein Maria. Mother."

Maria turns around and is almost knocked over when Louisa runs to her and gives her a hug. Maria wraps her arms around Louisa.

"Thank you. I feel better. I am truly happy for you and father. Can I help with the wedding planning, if you still want me to?"

"Of course I want your help silly. I need someone who thinks like me to help out with the logistics. Are you up for the challenge?"

Louisa nods her head and grins. "Challenge accepted. Let's go plan a wedding."


End file.
